Why vision is important
Obviously it doesn’t need to be stated how much we value our eyesight. Conducting any type of basic or simple task is extremely difficult when our vision is impaired. Having better vision for longer periods of our life allows us to experience a better quality of life. It is for this reason that we need to make sure we are not suffering from some sort of undiagnosed vision impairment. Therefore it is very important to make sure our kids are tested from a young age, even when there seems to be no problem yet. Some issues that arise in later life may have been preventable if detected and treated as kids.
Vision problems common
Most people think that vision problems won’t affect them or their kids, but actually according to Prevent Blindness, 1 in 4 children have refractive issues that may decrease their ability to see clearly. Usually these issues – myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism – have simple solutions. The problem is that often kids are not even aware that they have problems with their vision, which means they don’t tell their parents and the problem goes untreated.
Untreated vision problems affect kids by limiting their ability to see the board, read books, participate in physical activities and this may lead to developmental issues in language and social skills.
How often should children have eye exams
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), babies as young as 6 months should have a pediatric eye exam and then another one at 3 years and then another one before starting school. Even if these tests come up clean it is worth it to know our kids’ health is on track.
Solutions
For kids that are diagnosed with some form of vision impairment a wide range of vision correction options are available. Kids may start to wear glasses which will have a marked improvement on their vision and will allow them some more freedom to engage more confidently in their everyday tasks but glasses can be limiting. They can fall off, get lost, or break. All of which is undesirable.
Another solution would be to use Ortho-K, or Dreamlens. Dreamlens is a type of contact lens that kids wear at night and it will reshape their vision as they sleep. Much like braces for your teeth, dreamlens works constantly to fix your vision. Unlike vision correction refractive surgeries which have age limitations and are usually only performed on adults, Dreamlens is extremely safe even for young kids.